As the field of pneumatic projectile launching devices gains popularity, users desire greater consistency, power, and accuracy from their devices. As an example, many combat simulation games (such as paintball) utilize pneumatic cannon devices, which use air power instead of gun-powder to launch projectiles. As with any combat situation, the consistency, power, and accuracy of a weapon may have a great impact on the success of that weapon's user. Accordingly, many current pneumatic cannon devices are one of two designs. In a first current design, normal atmospheric air is rapidly urged through a tubular barrel by the sudden release of a mechanically driven piston. In the second design, pressurized gas is conducted from a pressure reservoir directly to the breach end of the barrel by tubular conduits.
In both cases, the impulse of the projectile may be variable according to the rise and fall of gas pressure within the tubular barrel and may be further affected by changes in temperature, such as environmental temperature change, changes in pressure within the device itself, and/or changes in the gas reservoir that are utilized by the pneumatic cannon device. As a consequence, consistency, power, and accuracy of the current pneumatic cannon device may be unreliable.